International Women’s Day Networking Special 2025

Pictures may be taken at this event. If you do not wish your picture to be taken, please let us know ahead of the event.

Bookings will remain open until the event itself, but please note that if you book with less than 24 hours to go, your name won’t be on the “List of Attendees” or the “Signing in Sheet” and you won’t have a “Name Badge” on arrival.

As a Chamber Member, you will have exclusive access to the “List of Attendees”.

Join us on Friday 7th March for our International Women’s Day Special Networking Event hosted at the Ashford International Hotel & Spa.

We are looking forward to welcoming you all to celebrate the successes of the inspirational women in our local business community. This is an important occasion to foster collaboration and demonstrate the comradery of our Network. Kent is home to a dynamic and thriving community of women driving change in various industries, with this in mind we are excited to bring together a panel of empowering speakers who will discuss their journey, as well as how we can strengthen this community and showcase the fantastic work of our local businesswomen.

Celebrate women’s achievement. Raise awareness about discrimination. Take action to drive gender parity.

International Women’s Day (IWD) belongs to everyone, everywhere. Inclusion means all IWD action is valid.

Guest Panellists: 

• Katherine Vass – Women In Business Networking
• Lucy Druesne – Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce
• Miranda Chapman – Pillory Barn
• Nina Allen – Austen Allen Homecare

About The Ashford International Hotel:

Make yourself at home at our Ashford hotel, designed for you to relax and unwind.

A comfy bed, a soothing spa, a tasty menu. You can expect all these things and more when you book a room at Ashford International Hotel & Spa.

Close to London, the Kent coast and the Channel Tunnel, this four-star hotel in Ashford is popular with both holidaymakers and people on business, offering 179 spacious rooms, two stylish restaurants and some of the best leisure facilities in the area.

If you’re looking for a venue in Ashford at which to host your special celebration or corporate function, we can help with that. With a choice of flexible rooms, first-class catering and a dedicated events team to help you plan everything, we’ll make all your wishes come true.

About Our Panellists: 

Katherine Vass – Women In Business Networking 

Katherine Vass is the founder of She Makes Her, a media brand dedicated to empowering women in business. By sharing inspiring success stories and expert insights, the platform motivates women to pursue their passions, develop their skills, and build thriving ventures.

She is also a franchisee for the Women in Business Network (Kent); Katherine fosters a supportive community where women can connect, collaborate, and grow through trusted relationships.

With a background in media sales at industry leaders like Getty Images and ITN, Katherine specialised in creating impactful films that highlighted enterprise businesses’ missions and innovations. She is passionate about storytelling and empowering women to achieve their full potential.

Nina Allen – Austen Allen Homecare

Nina Allen is a dynamic entrepreneur and CEO with 20 years of experience in building and scaling businesses across recruitment, business services, property investment, and, most recently, a tech start-up. As the founder and CEO of Austen Allen Homecare, a leading social care provider in Kent and Medway, she is dedicated to driving innovation and making a meaningful impact in the sector.

With an MBA and a background in recruitment with a global brand, Nina blends strategic expertise with a consultative leadership style, fostering a culture of growth and empowerment. She is passionate about business transformation, leadership and the future of social care, regularly sharing insights and experiences to inspire others in the industry.

Lucy Druesne – Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce 

Lucy is the Chief Contracts and Policy Officer and the Kent & Medway Locals Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) strategic lead at Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce. The Kent & Medway LSIP works with employers and employer representative groups to identify the local skills needs and solutions to address them in our key sectors, in collaboration with the local education providers.

Lucy grew up in France and came to the UK to work on a European project for Kent Invicta Chamber after which she moved to roles in Higher Education and has spent the last 20 years at the interface of education and business in her roles, in particular as Deputy Director of Innovation at the University of Kent and as Manager of GOETEC, a partnership of Kent & Medway Higher and Further Education and public sector organisations.

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